Why I went: I could! Colombia, after so many years of turmoil and danger due to the drug trade, has now become, in most areas, a safe travel destination. And what a destination it is: an amazingly verdant country with warm and wonderful people.

Don't miss: A funicular ride to the top of Cerro de Monserrate for a spectacular view of Bogota and the central Andes; a horse-and-buggy ride through pretty Cartegena; the San Alberto Farm coffee plantation in Armenia; the archaeological park in St. Agustin.